Penang Sundays

I haven't been home on a Sunday
for quite a while now I think
and I guess I almost(but not quite) forgot what it's like

Penang sundays
they've got to be done right
they've got to be done
beachy, lazy, light, relaxing

Wake up at noon,
have a coffee overlooking the sea
the sun shimmering over the water,
clouds blazing white, sky a deep blue

sunday lunch should be beach or pool food
have it before,or take it as a picnic
cold sandwiches, a burger or hotdog, cold roast chicken, crisp salads/crudites ,
juicy wedges of fruit
iced orange tea, a martini with 7-up, pimms cocktails
you don't care if
a couple grains of sand get into your food

Have another coffee at the Spice Garden Cafe

amidst towering trees and lush greenery
the breeze whispering through your hair
the sea lapping below

finally at 3, you hit the beach

you bask in the sun,
frolic in the waves
read, do a crossword, write
snooze, eat and drink
sand between your toes
hair encrusted with salt

at 5 30, you head for the Beach Cafe
(or Happy Hours and a Foo massage at Sigi's)
where other people have ice-cold beers in sweating mugs
and you stick to coffee because you're not known for your beer appreciation
bored with talk, you grab a pail
and decide to look for mussels

you cut your fingers in a thousand places
on the barnacles and rocks
before long, you have one
your friends arrive, they discuss wedding dinners
you take a break from musseling
to vote for this and that
then resume search, and before long
a whole pailful!

the sun begins to set

you discuss dinner
dinner must be seafood of some sort
a BBQ buffet at Sigi's or a cheap feast at
the end of the world

No, it's Sunday, you are not going to cook the mussels
someone else must do them

You shake your head
when a thousand kids come
stumbling down the steps
and proceed to sit in the waves
fully clothed, soaked
you wonder how they will get on the bus after
make fun of the woman
with the umbrella, hat and long-sleeves
eventhough the sun's gone down
then go up close to take a picture of her

So you rinse of, dust of
get in a car and head up to Teluk Bahang
a dinner of Black Pepper Squid, Mussels Thermidor,
Spicy Mussels,Garlic Prawns and Veg
perhaps a glass of wine
a delicious meal
a single ciggarette
a slow drive on the wending road
your fingers trailing out of open windows

and so ends, a perfect Penang Sunday.